This invention relates to a sanitary napkin and the like for absorption and containment of body fluids.
Japanese Patent Application Disclosure Gazette (Kokai) No. Hei6-125938 discloses a sanitary napkin including a pair of lateral edges projecting outward along transversely opposite sides of a liquid-absorbent pad. With the napkin fastened to a crotch region of an undergarment worn by a wearer, the lateral edges extend on the inner surface of the undergarment beyond peripheral edges of its leg-openings so that the lateral edges may cover the peripheral edges of the leg-openings and at the same time may be placed against the wearer""s thighs.
With the known napkin, the lateral edges function to prevent the leg-openings"" peripheral edges of the undergarment from being soiled with menstrual discharge. It is also possible for the napkin to prevent menstrual discharge from leaking down through gaps between the leg-openings"" peripheral edges of the undergarment and the wearer""s thighs in the course of wearing the undergarment to which the napkin has been fastened. However, the known napkin must be configured in a relatively large size so that the lateral edges may project beyond the leg-openings"" peripheral edges of the undergarment. In consequence, complicated sequence of folding the individual napkins for packaging them one by one is required before they are supplied consumers and the individually packaged napkins are inevitably bulky.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sanitary napkin which protects the leg-openings"" peripheral edges of undergarment worn by a wearer from being soiled with body fluids such as menstrual discharge and protects body fluids from leaking down through gaps between the leg-openings"" peripheral edges and the wearer""s thighs while the napkin is configured in a relatively small size.
According to the present invention, there is provided a sanitary napkin comprising a base member and a pair of barrier flaps, the base member including a liquid-pervious topsheet, a liquid-impervious backsheet, a liquid-absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, a pair of transversely opposite outer side portions extending in a longitudinal direction and a pair of longitudinally opposite end portions extending in transverse direction of the napkin, and the pair of barrier flaps being formed on an upper surface of the base member""s outer side portions so as to extend along the outer side portions between the pair of end portions.
Each of the barrier flaps has a fixed edge portion and a free edge portion, both extending in the longitudinal direction, and a pair of longitudinally opposite end portions between the fixed and free edge portions, the free edge portion is stretchable outward transversely of the base member and the fixed edge portion is fixed on an upper surface of the base member along the outer side portion thereof with the free edge portion pointing outward transversely of the base member.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the free edge portion of the barrier flaps is stretchable outward at least over a partial dimension thereof in the longitudinal direction beyond the corresponding outer side portion of the base member.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the free edge portion of the barrier flaps is stretchable outward beyond the corresponding outer side portion of the base member by 10 mm or more.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, each of the barrier flaps is folded back on itself along a folding line extending in the longitudinal direction of the base member so as to divide the barrier flaps in the fixed edge portion and the free edge portion so that the free edge portion point outward in the transverse direction of the base member.
According to further another embodiment of the present invention, each of the barrier flaps is formed from a sheet material that is elastically stretchable in the transverse direction of the base member.
According to an additional embodiment of the present invention, each of the barrier flaps has a plurality of pleats extending in parallel one to another in the longitudinal direction of the base member and is stretchable outward in the transverse direction of the base member.
According to still additional embodiment of the present invention, each of the barrier flaps presents a static friction factor of 0.3 or higher at least on a part of a surface thereof.
According to further additional embodiment of the present invention, each of the barrier flaps is formed from a sheet material that is elastically stretchable in the longitudinal direction of the base member.